|
Home | Previous
| Next | lftd06 [Download]
July.12.06: Light for the Day - “Heaven
is Better Than You Can Dream”
(Viet)
(C)
(S)
(F)
-- John 14:2
In My Father’s House are many rooms; if it were not so,
I would have told you. I am going There to prepare a place for you.
-- Colossians 3:1-3
1 Since you have been raised to New Life with Christ, set your sights on
the Realities of Heaven, where Christ sits at God’s right hand in
the place of Honor and Power.
2 Let Heaven fill your thoughts.
Do not think only about things down here on earth.
3 For you died when Christ died, and your Real Life is hidden with Christ in God.
-- Philippians 3:20-21
20 For our Citizenship is in Heaven, from which we also eagerly wait
for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21 Who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control,
will Transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.
-- Matthew 6:33
But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness,
and all these things shall be added to you.
--------------------------
Aim at Heaven and you will get earth
"thrown in":
aim at earth and you will get neither. (- C.S. Lewis)
--------------------------
Popular culture’s acceptance of the idea of Heaven has been almost universal
in scope. Heaven shows up in movies, music, television, and just about any
other form of media. The word itself has become synonymous with
fantastic
or wonderful and is used often in everyday conversations. Like few words in
the English language, Heaven is void of any negative connotation.
It’s a word that paints a picture of Beauty, Hope, and Love.
Christians and non-Christians alike talk about Heaven with a mixture of
self-assurance and bewilderment. Though people who know Christ may
understand what the Bible says about getting into Heaven, most
non-Christians probably only have the general idea that Heaven is a
retirement home in the sky for people who were good on earth.
The Bible clearly points the way to Heaven, and it’s only through a
relationship with Christ. This can be a sobering thought when you consider
all those people who choose not to follow God. But there is little debate on
this topic. What is Heaven like? And how much thought should you give it
while still on earth?
Heaven is often depicted in illustrations as being a field of clouds in the sky
where angels float around and play harps all day. Maybe you see gold-paved
streets or a green, flower-filled field. Some people picture Heaven as being
something like a new version of the paradise God created way back in the
beginning – but this time, without the snake. The Bible doesn’t offer many
specifics about what Heaven will look like. What it does offer is this:
Heaven is a real place, not just some communal dream state. It’s a place
of beauty beyond compare. And it’s the place where all who love God will
Live Forever.
That word Forever bring up a million question about Heaven. Few, if any,
will ever be answered while you’re here on earth. Heaven such a compelling
topic of discussion. What will it be like to be in God’s presence?
(Indescribable, certainty, inhuman terms.) Will you recognize loved ones?
(Probably, and you’ll still be you.) Then there are the fun questions.
Will you be able to fly? Run faster? Swim underwater for an hour?
The questions are often mind-numbing. But the promises of Heaven are
enough to make up for that which you don’t yet know.
One of the promises of Heaven is that it will be free of pain and suffering.
For many people, this alone is enough to draw them toward a relationship
with God. But it is possible to have your head stuck in the clouds as it were
always thinking of Heaven, and forget to live while here on earth. God wants
you to have a fulfilling life on earth too. Sometimes you may need to glance
at the future promise of Heaven to get through a tough time. Go ahead.
Just don’t forget to bring your gaze back to earth.
Another promise is that you’ll have a new body (1Cor.
15:42-57). No one
quite knows what that means, but it’s got to be good thing. It’s not just your
old body you’ll be leaving behind: You won’t be bringing along any earthly
riches to Heaven, either. The only thing you can bring with you is the influence
you have had on others here on earth in leading them to Christ. Surely there
is no more fulfilling role you could play than to point others to Heaven’s gate.
Heaven is an incredible place. When you consider all it has to offer – and
the fact that it’s likely far greater than you can imagine – it’s a wonder anyone
chooses to stay on earth. Even the apostle Paul grappled with this, telling the
Philippians church he honestly struggle sometimes as he considered and
compared life on earth and Life with Jesus in Heaven (Philippians
1:23-25). But like Paul, you were placed here on earth for a reason. You have a
life to live and a God to get to know. Yes, Heaven is a real and desirable place to be.
Only God knows what day is scheduled for your reservation. Until then, live life, love God, love people and know that a fantastic future awaits.
-- CK4Life
--------------------------------
Heaven: where Questions and
Answers
become one. (-- Elie Wiesel)
--------------------------------
-- Proverbs 30:4
Who has gone up to Heaven and come down?
Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of His hands?
Who has wrapped up the waters in His cloak?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His Name, and the Name of His Son? Tell me if you know!
-- Matthew 13 (The Kingdom of Heaven
Parables) (E)
(Viet)
(C)
(S)
The Kingdom of Heaven is like ...
The Mustard Seed
(Matthew 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18-19)
The Leaven (yeast)
(Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:20-21)
The Hidden Treasure
(Matthew 13:44)
The Pearl of Great Price
(Matthew 13:45-46)
The Dragnet (Matthew 13:47–50)
The Lost Sheep
(Matthew 18:12–14; Luke 15:3–7)
The Laborers in the Vineyard
(Matthew 20:1-16)
The Wedding Feast (Matthew 22:2–14)
The Wise and Foolish Virgins (Matthew 25:1–13)
. . . .
--------------------------------
-- Luke 12:31-34 (Matthew 6:19-21, 33)
31 But seek the Kingdom of God,
and all these things shall be added to you.
32 Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure
to give you The Kingdom.
33 Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags
which do not grow old, a Treasure in the Heaven
that does not fail,
where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.
34 For where your Treasure is, there your heart will be also.
-- Matthew 22:29-30 (Mark 12:25; Luke
20:34-36)
29 Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures
or the Power of God.
30 At the Resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage;
they will be like the angels in Heaven.
-- Acts 7:48-50, 55
48 However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men.
As the prophet says:
49 "Heaven is My Throne, and the earth is My Footstool.
What kind of house will you build for Me? says the Lord.
Or where will My Resting Place be?
50 Has not My Hand made all these things?’ (Isaiah 66:1-2)
55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to Heaven and saw
the Glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
-- Philippians 1:23-25
23 For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart
and be with Christ, which is far better.
24 Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.
25 And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue
with you all for your progress and joy of faith.
---------------------------
-- 1 Corinthians 15:42-57 (New
Heavenly Body)
42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead.
The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;
43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory;
it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;
44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
45 The Scriptures tell us, "The first man, Adam, became a living person."
(Gen. 2:7) But the last Adam -- that is,
Christ -- is a Life-giving Spirit.
46 What came first was the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later.
47 Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth,
while Christ, the second man, came from Heaven.
48 Every human being has an earthly body just like Adam’s,
but our Heavenly bodies will be just like Christ’s.
49 Just as we are now like Adam, the man of the earth,
so we will someday be like Christ, the Man from Heaven.
50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit
the Kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be
changed --
52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet
will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable,
and the mortal with immortality.
54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the
mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true:
"Death has been swallowed up in victory." (Isaiah 55:8)
55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
(Hosea 13:14)
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law.
57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you.
Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,
because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
----------------------
-- 2 Peter 3:13
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for New Heavens
and a New earth in which Righteousness dwells.
-- Revelation 21:1
Now I saw a New Heaven and a New earth, for the first Heaven
and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
-- Psalms 115:3, 15
3 But our God is in Heaven; He does whatever He pleases.
15 May you be blessed by the LORD, Who made Heaven and earth.
-- Psalms 121:2
My help comes from the LORD, Who made Heaven and earth.
|